Train-pipe coupling.



E. K. KREBS.

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPucATloN man ocT. 29. 1915.

Patented Oct, 31, 1916.'

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

his.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY E. K. KREBS.

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 29, uns.

1 ,203,363. Patented` Oct. 31, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE. y

EDWIN K. KREBS, 0F SEITZLAND, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRAIN-PIPE COUPLING.

Application filed October 29, 1915.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, EDWIN K. Kanus, a citizenof the United States, residing at Seitzland, in the county of York andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Train-Pipe Couplings, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to an improved train pipe coupling and theprincipal object of the invention is to provide a coupling so mountedthat it may have suiiicient movement to compensate for vertical andtransverse movement when the train is moving along the track and tofurther provide the coupler with an improved type of head mounted foruniversal movement so that the heads of the two couplers on connectedcars will at all times be heldin tight engagement when the cars arecoupled.

Another object of the invention is to provide the coupler with animproved valve mechanism so constructed that when the two cars arecoupled the valves will be open and when the cars are uncoupled thevalves will be closed thus making it unnecessary to manually open andclose the valves of the train pipes when coupling and uncoupling thecars.

Another object of the invention is to provide a train pipe coupler whichwill be very simple in construction and consists of a comparatively fewnumber of parts iirmly held in the proper position and thus providing astrong and compact structure.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 isA a view showing theimproved coupler inl longitudinalsection, the valves vbeing open. Fig. 2 is aview showing the improvedcoupler partially in longitudinal section and partially in elevationwith the valves closed. Fig. 3 is aaview showing the improved couplerpartially in transverse section and partially in end eleva-tion. Fig. 4is a view in elevation of the head of the coupler. Fig. 5 is a sectionalView taken along the line 5 5 of Fig. l. Fig. '6 is a sectional viewtaken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

The barrel or body` portion 10 of this coupler is provided with anenlarged inner end portion forming the chamber 11 having an inlet neck12l and having its end closed by means of the cap 13. This cap 13carries the eye 14 with which the suspending or Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

serial No. 58,629.

seen that when in use air will pass into theV chamber 11 through thepipe 16. The outer end portion of the chamber 11 is threaded as clearlyshown in Figs.' 1 and 2 so that the valve seat 18 may be screwed intoplace and removed when itis -necessary to grind the valve seat or cleanthe same.

The tubular stem or piston 19 is slidably mounted in the neck 20 of thebarrel or body portion 10 and has its inner end portion threaded andscrewed into the piston head 21, which piston head is positioned betweenthe valve seat 18 and abutment ring 22. Packing 24 is provided for thepiston head or collar 21 thus forming a tight joint and preventingleakage of air around the piston head. The stem 25 of valve 26 ispivotallyv connected with the piston head 21 by means of the pins 27 andbrackets 2S and it will thus be seen that the valves can be brought intovery tight engagement with the valve seat since it has pivotalmovementand therefore if it does not strike squarely upon the valve seat it canmove to the proper position to fit tightly upon the valve seat. A spring29 is placed between the abutment 22 and collar 30 which collar isremovably mountedl upon the piston 19 and held in place by means ofsetscrew 31. This spring normally holds the coupler in the position shownin Fig. 2 with the valve closedr but permits the stem or piston 19 tomove in# The neck 20 of this coupler is engaged by.

the yoke 32 carried by the sleeve l33, this sleeve is slidably mountedupon the cross bar 34 positioned between the supporting Vlic arms orstandards 35. The standards 35 are l slidably mounted inopenings formedin the upper and lower bars 36 and 37 of the hanger 38 and springs 89and 40 are provided to yieldably hold the standards and sleeve in thenormal position. Therefore, although the neck and barrel of the couplerwill normally remain in the position shown in the drawings, vertical andtransverse movement will be permitted so that when turning a curve orwhen going over rough roads the barrel will be permitted to havesuficient vertical and transverse movement to remain in the properposition.

The outer end portion of the piston 19 is flared and carries the ball alwhich fits into the socket 4t2 of the coupler head and engages lthegasket 43. The cap 44 of this coupler head fits about the ball Lll andis secured to the-body portion of the coupler head 45 by means of themachine screws or other fasteners 46. The heads ofA the two couplers ofadjoining cars can therefore' prevent the passage of air lfrom onecouplerv to the other. ln order to provide a tight joint between the twocoupler heads there has been provided a facing 4:7 of rubber whichfacing is secured to the body portion of the coupler head by means ofthe inner rings 48 and outer annulars 4:9, the rings and annulars beingsecured by means of the machine screws 50 and bolts 51.

I rhave thereforeprovided a train pipe coupler which is so constructedthat the coupler heads mounted by means of the universal joint and thebarrel is yieldably supported so that the coupler `heads of the two carswill not become disconnected when turning a curve so that vertical andtransverse movement may-be permitted Vwhen going over a rough road. IVhave further provided a coupler so constructed I that the valves will beopened when the cars are coupled and closed whenthe cars aredisconnected, this being automatically done and therefore makes itunnecessary for the trainman to go between the cars in order to connectthe air pipes and open or closel the valves.

lVhat is claimed is:-

l. A `train pipe coupler comprising a barrel having its inner endportion enlarged to provide a chamber2 a neck connected with theopposite end'portion of said barrel and provided with a passagewaycommunicatingfwith the interior of the barrel, a valve seatin saidchamber, a hollow piston slidably mounted V'in said neck andlevtending.; into Ysaid barrel, a piston head carried by the inner endportion Vof said piston and providedV with a passageway communicatingwith the interior of the hollow piston,

a valve in said chamber having its stem pivot-ally mounted within saidpiston head, an abutment positioned in said barrel around said piston,an abutment collar carried by said piston, a spring positioned betweensaid abutment and said abutment collar to yield! ably hold said pistonin an extended position with the valve engaging lthe valve seat,`

and a coupler head connected with the outer Y end portion of saidpiston. v

2. A tram pipe coupler comprising a body portion, a valve forcontrolling the passage of lluid through said body portion, a pistonslidable in said body portion and connected with the valve wherebylongitudinal movement of the piston will open-and'close' the 4 valve,means for yieldably holding the piston in a normal position withthevalve closed, a ball carried by the outer end portion of said piston,and a coupler head carried by said ball, said coupler yhead comprising abody portion having a socket-to receive the-ball and lprovided with apassageway communicatingv with the vinterior of the piston, a gasketpositioned in the sav socket and engaged lby the inner end 4por-y f tionlot the ball, a cap `connected' with the .Y

bodyportion of the coupler head andholding the body portion of thecoupler headk sleeve and standards and between said cross bar and upperand lower barsto yieldably hold said sleeve and standards in a normal lposition, means carried by said sleeve for engaging the outer endportion of the body portion of the coupler, exible means connected withthe inner end portion of the body portion of the coupler to lsupportthesame, means for controlling the passage of air through the bodypor-tion, and a coupler head carried by said last mentioned means.

4. A train pipe coupling comprising a barrel having a neck provided witha passageway communicating with the interiorof the barrel, a valve seatin saidv barrel, a hol- Y low piston slidably mounted in said neck andeXtendinginto said barrel, a piston head carried by thel inner endportion of lsaid piston and provided with a passageway Acom- Y Ymunicating with the interior ofV thehollow. Y

piston, a valve in said barrel having lits stem connected with saidpiston head, means to yieldably hold said pistonrin an extended positionwith the valve engaging the valve seat, and acoupler head connected withthe outer end portion of said piston. l

5. A train pipe coupling comprising a body portion, a piston slidable insaid body portion and having one end extending beyond the body portion,ya ball carried by the outer end portion of said piston, and a couplerhead carried by said ball, said coupler head comprising a body portionhaving a socket to receive the ball and provided with a passagewaycommunicating with the interior of said piston, gasket positioned in thesocket and engaged by the forward portion of the ball, and a capconnected with the body portion of the coupler head and holding the bodyportion of the coupler head upon the ball.

6. A train pipe coupler comprising a body portion, a supportingstructure including a frame, standards slidably connected with saidframe for vertical sliding movement and yieldably held in a normalposition, a

cross bar connecting said standards, a sleeve slidably and rotatablymounted upon said cross bar, and yieldably held in a normal position,means carried by said sleeve for engaging the outer end portion oi' thebody portion of the coupler, means to movably support the inner end ofthe body portion of the coupler, and means for controlling the passageof air through the body portion.

In testimony whereof I aHX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' EDWIN K. KREBS.

Witnesses: i

Y I/V. L. SEIGMAN, C. E. GooDLING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing`the Commissioner of iPatents, Washington, D. C.

